[Blindmath] Questions about accommodations

Wed Jun 2 17:56:29 UTC 2010

Hi Rebecca,

I couldn't agree with you more
Here in India your are basically on your own as far as non-academic activities are concerned

I'm always surprised by the kind of issues related to spoonfeeding come up on this list.
Then again, perhaps what I view as spoonfeeding, others may look at it as essential facilities.

Regards
--- On Wed, 6/2/10, Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com> wrote:

> From: Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC) <REBECCA.PICKRELL at tasc.com>
> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Questions about accommodations
> To: "Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics" <blindmath at nfbnet.org>
> Date: Wednesday, June 2, 2010, 6:51 PM
> Not sure assistance with cooking and
> batheing would fall into this discussion. The way I
> understand it, the question deals with support for math i.e.
> a reader/notetaker, not personal care which is what
> assistance with cooking and batheing would fall under. 
> Also, I'd think that the blind student in question would be
> able to travel independently. I wouldn't use the "what if
> the building needs to be evacuated" as an excuse to not
> provide math support. After all, if the power goes out and a
> building needs to be vacated, those of you dependent on
> light will really wish you'd someone who is blind to help. 
> Again, don't mix personal care and math support As I've
> stated before, readers and transcribers are not there to
> baby-sit. 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:blindmath-bounces at nfbnet.org]
> On Behalf Of Michael Whapples
> Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 5:56 PM
> To: Blind Math list for those interested in mathematics
> Subject: Re: [Blindmath] Questions about accommodations
> 
> Hello,
> Bernard has gone into much more detail than I would plan
> to.
> 
> As far as it goes I think a request for support with study
> materials/lab 
> work, etc is generally accepted as reasonable. I am totally
> blind and 
> when I did my physics degree I received help with diagrams,
> 
> notetaking/having lecture notes prepared in Braille, lab
> assistance 
> (they seemed to feel letting me loose with certain things
> like liquid 
> nitrogen, darts, etc was not a good idea, but there were
> other things 
> they helped me with such as taking readings from displays
> on equipment, 
> etc). I am now doing a more desk based post graduate course
> with the 
> open university and I still have some assistance with
> diagrams and bits 
> of course material which is inaccessible (eg. the underline
> notation 
> they are using in PDF documents, which my screen reader
> software is 
> unable to detect).
> 
> As for the matter of pay, I think it can vary so much. The
> important 
> thing is that whoever provides the help should at least be
> able to 
> understand the material even if they aren't specialist in
> the particular 
> topic of the course module. As an example when I was at
> university 
> studying my physics degree we ask about in the post
> graduates within the 
> department, sometimes asking in the maths department as
> well. I am not 
> fully sure what the university decided on paying them, but
> I seem to 
> have a memory from somewhere that it may have been around
> £8 to £9 per 
> hour (This was back between 2003 and 2007, sorry for the UK
> currency but 
> that's what we tend to work in over in the UK). As a
> comparison, 
> typically the open university go to an agency for this type
> of support 
> (I think the agency charge about £24 per hour) but we were
> unsure 
> whether the agency could provide someone with sufficient
> technical 
> skills for supporting me on my course, so the result is
> that one of the 
> tutors for another module within the same subject has
> agreed to take on 
> the work. Their pay is higher than that for those
> supporting me when I 
> did my degree, but considering the distributed nature of
> the open 
> university they do have a significant amount of travel to
> provide face 
> to face support (it still comes in cheaper than the agency,
> just).
> 
> Just to fill in on the other parts I noticed Bernard raise,
> I am totally 
> blind but within a known environment I am able to move
> around with no 
> issue (I have good cane skills) so evacuating a building
> was never a 
> concern once I knew the layout of the building.
> 
> As far as things outside study (cooking/washing/etc) as I
> think Bernard 
> said doesn't come into it here in the UK, that sort of
> support should 
> come from other places (the local social services,
> generally). However 
> things like knowing the way around campus, how to get from
> home to the 
> department and back, etc, may be even a little of the local
> area are 
> things which may be worth considering.
> 
> Michael Whapples
> On 06/01/2010 08:50 PM, Bernard M Diaz wrote:
> > Hi Corinne,
> >
> > In the UK this is a vexed issue because of cost, and
> who
> > pays - compounded, if the student is not a national.
> >
> > At my Higher Education institution (University), for
> my subject
> > (Computer Science), I've suggested that a "helper" (in
> UK parlance)
> > is vital, preferably with a science and also
> mathematics background.
> > This has been fully accepted in our two cases ...
> >
> > Payment is hourly, and we've established that between
> 20-30 hours
> > a week during term is required - the rate is
> marginally above what
> > we pay module student demonstrators.  The duties
> include coming with
> > the student to lectures and some seminars and
> tutorials, taking
> > notes and providing transcriptions of these in digital
> form that
> > can be voiced easily (i.e. copes with symbols in
> mathematical
> > expressions, and generates tactile and/or verbal
> digital descriptions
> > of diagrams/figures).  Also this person helps
> with problems encountered
> > using library and other facilities. [This is in
> addition to the
> > facilities that the student is expected to have:
> recording devices
> > etc, full copy of lecture notes in a variety of
> digital formats,
> > voicing soft/hardware, page to digital/voice scanning,
> etc].
> >
> > We've determined that a team doing this is just
> possible, but not
> > desirable, and for the students on the module - the
> time required
> > too onerous (however we encourage group and team
> working).  We also
> > have departmental back-up(2 hrs a week) available if
> necessary to
> > help with difficult areas (essential the diagrams
> associated with
> > "design", and with complex mathematical/logic areas).
> >
> > Our modules (4 each semester) consist approximately 12
> hours of
> > lecture contact time/week, approx. 4-8 contact
> tutorial and practical
> > time, and an assumption that the remaining time (up to
> a notional
> > 40 hrs) a week, is for preparation and private extra
> study. Our
> > semesters are 12 weeks.
> >
> > I'm working on the basis here of a completely blind
> student
> > that has excellent white cane/guide dog skills, who is
> completely
> > able independently, to look after themselves (e.g.
> cooking,
> > washing, etc). We have no remit to help there at all
> ...
> > (The white cane/guide dog skills arise because of a
> safety
> > requirement that a student is able to exit any
> building they
> > are in, in emergencies, unaided).
> >
> > All this is in addition to all staff (we include 
> > clerical/management/technical and all academic staff)
> being alert
> > to the student's requirements and being aware of
> their, and the
> > Institutions legal obligations ...
> >
> > I suspect this does not help, as it is subject
> specific, but it
> > may provide a discussion ballpark ...
> >
> > Kind regards - Bernard Diaz.
> >
> > Lankford, Corinne wrote:
> >> Hi everyone!
> >>
> >> We currently have an incoming Graduate student for
> the fall semester 
> >> which he has requested a research assistant. 
> Is this a common 
> >> accommodation provided?  If so, how many
> hours and what is the usual 
> >> rate?  I plan to check with the library to
> see if they have someone 
> >> on staff that can provide this assistance. 
> Any opinions, advices, 
> >> tip, etc. is greatly appreciated!
> >>
> >> Bests, Corinne
> >>
> >> Corinne Lankford EAD Disability Services
> Specialist New office title 
> >> name:  "Equal Opportunity, Affirmative
> Action, and Disability 
> >> Services Department" Vanderbilt University
> >>
> >> GPS Address:        110 21st
> Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37203 Office 
> >> Location:   Baker Building, Ste.
> 108 Internal Mail:       PMB
> 401809
> >>  Office Number:    615-322-4705 Fax
> Number:        615-343-0671 EAD 
> >> Website:   
>    www.vanderbilt.edu/ead
> >>
> >> * This message may contain confidential or
> privileged information. If
> >> you are not the intended recipient, please reply
> to the sender and 
> >> completely delete this message from your computer
> system.
> >>
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